Baseball Improves to 4-0

Cole Priggel beats out a bunt in the 2nd

The Oran Eagles high school baseball team remained undefeated during it's inaugural fall season by defeating the Bloomfield Wildcats 6-3 yesterday in Bloomfield.

The Eagles drew first blood.

Cole Priggle drilled a pitch back up the middle to start the game with a single. Preston Hahn did the same.  After Drew Reischman reached on an infield error, Oran had the bases loaded with no outs.  After a strike out, Tanner McVay hit a shot into left-center.  The ball got past the fielder all the way to the fence.  McVay had a double and 2 RBI, Reischman scored on the play also but it was ruled that he scored on the error.

In the second, it the Eagles once again starting the inning off right. After a lead-off single by Junior Austin Eftink, Denver Elfrink's sacrifice bunt turned into a single. Priggel then bunted down the third-base line and beat it out for his second hit of the day and a throwing error on the play allow Eftink to cross the plate for the fourth Oran tally. A single to right by Hahn scored Elfrink, who had advanced to third on the previous play, making the score 5-0.  Reischman's single to center made it 6-0 as Priggel
scored. An intentional walk to Clay Sauceda loaded the bases with none out.

From this point however, Bloomfield starter, Tim Hector, would settle down.  He retired the next three without allowing any more damage and would allow only one more hit the rest of the way.

On the mound for the Eagles, starter Layne Johnson was able to work out trouble in the 1st, 3rd and 4th innings as the Wildcats had two runners on base in each of those frames.

Clay Sauceda checks with the Eagle dugout for the next pitch

In the fifth, Bloomfield's lead-off man singled and advanced to second on a pick off attempt gone awry.  One out later a double drove in the Wildcat's first run.   A walk and a stolen base had runners on first and third.  At this point, head coach Joe Bickings called on Hahn to take over on the mound.

Hahn recorded a strike out for out number two.  A wild pitch to the next batter, however, allowed the runner from third to score and the other to advance to third.  Later in the at bat, an infield single plated their third and final run.

Hahn (1-0 1 save) only allowed a two-out infield single in the sixth and recorded a 1-2-3 seventh to pick up the eight-out save.

Johnson (2-0) went 4 1/3 innings.  He allowed 5 hits 3 runs, all earned.  He struck out 7 while walking 5 enroute to picking up the victory

McVay was 1-2 with his 2 RBI double.  Priggel, Hahn and Reischman each had 2 hits.  Priggel scored twice, Hahn and Reischman once each.  Hahn and Reischman also had a RBI apiece.  Reischman added a stolen base.

Eftink and Elfrink both added a hit and a run.

Oran, now 4-0, will be back in action next Tuesday, September 8th.  The Eagles will play Wildcats again but this time the 'Cats are from Leopold.  The home game is scheduled to start at 4:15.


(The blog would like to thank Traci Priggel for the photographs)